Cheap Shelters

**Awesome** · 05-05-2009, 06:11 PM

Originally Posted by buddamomma47

Thanks for all the comments.
My plan was to bury all of it except the doors,but you still have to worry about rust an such .I would like to make it look like a hill ,plant things on top of it, and disguise the doors, a real hidy hole. of course I'd have to put in some sort of air vents, possibly a smoke stack for the stove,that can be hidden with fake trees even fake rocks.

buddamomma47

This is a very interesting idea..... I don;t know much about construction and like you said you would need to worry about drainage, rust, I would think you would need to make some air holes (also done with PPC pipe?) for when the doors are closed and you’re inside but this whole buried shelter is a great idea.

I’ve read that if you go down far enough you won’t have to worry about heat/cooling to much either… That the temp underground is something like 72degrees (don’t quote me on that) and that temp is constant year around.

The container idea makes it scale easily too if you wanted to expand it… All you would have to do is dig another hole and connect another container. If someone was really rolling in $$ they could have 1 container supplies, 1 living area, etc… or split the project with a buddy and you each take a container and use a shared container for supply storage.
I’m sure a creative person could even make shift a bathroom… Maybe some how hook up a hand pump toilet or something….

Putting it underground if at all economical sounds like a really good idea too…. Hidden I think is the best practice for a Zombie outbreak type of shelter.

Hopefully some more folks with construction experience will chime in and tell us if they is at all feasible.

**buddamomma47** · 05-06-2009, 03:45 AM

I don't plan on living in it all the time, just use in as a hidy hole in the ground,
and the converting of it , well I would have to bake some real good cookies or cook a pot roast, for someone who could weld it for me.
Really, I just want to have a hidy hole that did not have dirt wall's, a home away from home, my little escape pod, a safe place to store goods for D day.
I agree about the RV, but if there is no gas, you cant very well drive them, at least if you have a hidy hole some where, you can walk to it, and have supplies waiting for you when and if you get there.

**rancher** · 05-06-2009, 09:47 AM

Just a thought or two on that comment...

First if there is no gas...just how did you expect to get from where you are to that "hidy hole"?

Next if you did have all the creature comforts of an RV you would (assumption on my part) be prepared enough to have enough gas stored to make the trip with the RV. You were going that way anyway right?

Next what if the roads were blocked? At least with an RV you have an alternate option. A place to stay while going somewhere else and a place to stay when you get there.

Just some thoughts as all plans should be tested and looked at if...you really think of doing them.

**Awesome** · 05-06-2009, 09:34 PM

Originally Posted by rancher

Just a thought or two on that comment...

First if there is no gas...just how did you expect to get from where you are to that "hidy hole"?

If you have a big enough piece of land you could put the container (this is assuming you doing your best to hide it) under ground and hidden somewhere a good distance from your main house/main shelter. Use it as a secondary storage location (I think we all agree splitting up your supplies is a good idea).. If for any reason you need to ditch you main shelter because of a temp threat you could bug out to this well stocked backup shelter. Assuming you've done your best to make it hidden you should be ok even if the threat was a roaming horde of zombies...
This type of shelter can probably also double as storm shelter.

If there are any folks out there that have contruction experiance I would love to hear your take on this idea.

**rancher** · 05-07-2009, 08:48 AM

A very good point for all. If you have the property and can do it without hiring it out. Once you hire that project out the knowledge of it is now known to others. Best to rent the back hoe and do it yourself.

We did our own under ground concrete lined room. It also houses the main generator and stoers a lot of food as it has the perfect temperature for that.

**Awesome** · 05-07-2009, 10:03 AM

Originally Posted by rancher

A very good point for all. If you have the property and can do it without hiring it out. Once you hire that project out the knowledge of it is now known to others. Best to rent the back hoe and do it yourself.

We did our own under ground concrete lined room. It also houses the main generator and stoers a lot of food as it has the perfect temperature for that.

Rancher can you give a little insight about the construction concerns and any/all problems you’ve had with an underground shelter…

Is ventilation a problem?
Is it always damp?
Leakage and drainage?

I’d be interested in anything you had to say about the construction and up keep of this underground room

**rancher** · 05-08-2009, 10:01 AM

Happy to...

First know your land...are their seasonal springs or extra wet spots which gather water in the wet season. If so don’t go there.

Next a hillside is best. Backhoe makes life more enjoyable and you live longer.

Have a plan or blueprint of your mission. I drew one up and a complete materials list before I replaced our 14 x 14 covered shooting area. Then I built it myself in two days time. Just four days ago.

We have a poured 4" cement floor with re-bar. About 10' wide and 14' long. Walls are cement building blocks with re-bar and then filled with cement. About 6.5' high.

Just buy a cement mixer and do it yourself. That way no one knows what you are doing. Like the cement truck driver...

Frame up a ceiling with 4x4 posts and plywood to form a bottom to pour the ceiling. Use a lot of re-bar. Steel spanners every couple feet are very good to hold it together. Get help from and engineer on that.

Mix cement and pour until the cows come home :-)

The door on our is over 36" wide.

Design 4" vertical air vents at the rear or the room. Have a louvered air intake in the lower portion of you door. You can also add a secondary intake piped to a rock pile of some other hidden location. Paint the outlet pipe black and cut it at a 45 degree slope on top. Cover with fine mess screen. No bugs, very little water. Or just put a vented cap on top. The black will draw warmth from the sun and begin a drafting effect. Colder air will come in via the low intake louvered door opening, cross the room gather moisture and exit the top vent. You can add a powered intake or exhaust fan.

There are solar powered small flat fans we used on our wooden boats. 3-4 inches across and they begin spin the impeller once the sun hits them. Could be placed on top or the exit pipe. These will vet the place during the daylight times.

If possible run underground power to the building. The exterior walls can be painted with a special waterproofing material while being built. So can the ceiling. Cover ceiling with a foot of dirt or so. Crown it to provide run off slope. One can also lay down a couple layers of plastic first to help divert rain water. It takes many years for the soil to re-ompact again.

Gently refill open areas with dirt. One can lay a drain field pipe around the outside wall bottom and slope in towards the front. Thus draining any water leaking down during the rains and giving it a quick way out.

We cemented the approaching sloping walls to the door and then covered them in light weight fake rocks. Planted vegetation and grass back in place.

It never freezes in there even when it gets down to minus 20 outside. Is always cool in the summer...almost cold and chilly on a hot day. With some fore thought it can be made into a shelter bunker. But then you are stuck in there if found out? Whatever you heart desires I guess.

One can wire it for a back up generator like we did and vent that correctly. Or not...

This is a project. A pre-mde storage unit is faster but will require delivery and install. Other then know. I have heard of using huge metal drain pipe? But round is not fun to load stuff in. A well design basement room when building a home is cheaper by far.

We have that as well.... Good luck.

**buddamomma47** · 05-09-2009, 12:34 AM

Thank you thank you .

Originally Posted by Omegaman

I watched some show on HGTV that showed houses made from these cargo containers. The house that they showed were different sizes and they all cost a 1/4 of what the same size house to build. The houses were also in different parts of the country, from Maine to Texas. You treat the containers like modules, they are rated to be stacked on top of each other. A couple of them had huge great or common rooms created by placing the containers 26ft or more a part from each other and then capping the open space with enginered roof trusses. I have seen a work shop / welding shop made from 4 of the 20 footers being stacked. The containers in most places are avilable in 10x8x8, 20x8x8 and 40x8x8. I have been looking at buying some remote land for a hunting camp and putting a cargo container home on it. The great thing is that they are fire proof and pest proof. The big cost would be stacking them because you need a crane or excavator.

**buddamomma47** · 05-09-2009, 12:46 AM

Originally Posted by rancher

Happy to...

First know your land...are their seasonal springs or extra wet spots which gather water in the wet season. If so don’t go there.

Next a hillside is best. Backhoe makes life more enjoyable and you live longer.

Have a plan or blueprint of your mission. I drew one up and a complete materials list before I replaced our 14 x 14 covered shooting area. Then I built it myself in two days time. Just four days ago.

We have a poured 4" cement floor with re-bar. About 10' wide and 14' long. Walls are cement building blocks with re-bar and then filled with cement. About 6.5' high.

Just buy a cement mixer and do it yourself. That way no one knows what you are doing. Like the cement truck driver...

Frame up a ceiling with 4x4 posts and plywood to form a bottom to pour the ceiling. Use a lot of re-bar. Steel spanners every couple feet are very good to hold it together. Get help from and engineer on that.

Mix cement and pour until the cows come home :-)

The door on our is over 36" wide.

Design 4" vertical air vents at the rear or the room. Have a louvered air intake in the lower portion of you door. You can also add a secondary intake piped to a rock pile of some other hidden location. Paint the outlet pipe black and cut it at a 45 degree slope on top. Cover with fine mess screen. No bugs, very little water. Or just put a vented cap on top. The black will draw warmth from the sun and begin a drafting effect. Colder air will come in via the low intake louvered door opening, cross the room gather moisture and exit the top vent. You can add a powered intake or exhaust fan.

There are solar powered small flat fans we used on our wooden boats. 3-4 inches across and they begin spin the impeller once the sun hits them. Could be placed on top or the exit pipe. These will vet the place during the daylight times.

If possible run underground power to the building. The exterior walls can be painted with a special waterproofing material while being built. So can the ceiling. Cover ceiling with a foot of dirt or so. Crown it to provide run off slope. One can also lay down a couple layers of plastic first to help divert rain water. It takes many years for the soil to re-ompact again.

Gently refill open areas with dirt. One can lay a drain field pipe around the outside wall bottom and slope in towards the front. Thus draining any water leaking down during the rains and giving it a quick way out.

We cemented the approaching sloping walls to the door and then covered them in light weight fake rocks. Planted vegetation and grass back in place.

It never freezes in there even when it gets down to minus 20 outside. Is always cool in the summer...almost cold and chilly on a hot day. With some fore thought it can be made into a shelter bunker. But then you are stuck in there if found out? Whatever you heart desires I guess.

One can wire it for a back up generator like we did and vent that correctly. Or not...

This is a project. A pre-mde storage unit is faster but will require delivery and install. Other then know. I have heard of using huge metal drain pipe? But round is not fun to load stuff in. A well design basement room when building a home is cheaper by far.

We have that as well.... Good luck.

You are such a Dear,
Thanks for all the input, sounds like you have given this type of thing Lot's of thought and then went out and did it,I know who I would go to for help with my hidy hole, if I was doing it in your area.
If I had my way I would only hire those from this site that we're serious about Survival Tech: probably could trust most of you on this site.
Thanks again for your input.

**OneBadPig** · 05-09-2009, 04:16 PM

Rancher is right. I have a cargo container that is used for storage, the cost to insulate,and add a bathroom and kitchen facilites would far exceed the cost of a used camper.
As for burying one....while the walls are built to hold the weight of several more stacked on top, the roof is not load bearing and would need reinforcement to support a direct load.
A poured concrete structure is the best,(for burial) i have seen great things done with 10 to 15 ft diameter stainless culvert pipe as well. (the arched structure will support tons of weight)
For books about earth bermed/sheltered houses or other alternative building methods check out the bookstore at MotherEarthNews.com